Reports on Values and Community

Reports are listed in reverse chronological order.

Inside the Middle Class: Bad Times Hit the Good Life
9 Apr 08 Americans feel stuck in their tracks. Most survey respondents say that in the past five years, they either haven’t moved forward in life (25%) or have fallen backward (31%) -- the most downbeat assessment in nearly half a century of polling by the Pew Research Center and the Gallup organization. But at the same time, two-thirds say they have a higher standard of living than their parents had.

Blacks See Growing Values Gap Between Poor and Middle Class: Optimism about Black Progress Declines
13 Nov 07 African Americans see a widening gulf between the values of middle class and poor blacks, and nearly four-in-ten say that because of the diversity within their community, blacks can no longer be thought of as a single race.

As Marriage and Parenthood Drift Apart, Public Is Concerned about Social Impact: Generation Gap in Values, Behaviors
1 Jul 07 At a time when nearly four-in-ten births in this country are to an unmarried mother, the public says unwed parenting is a big problem for society. But Americans are far less inclined now than a generation ago to say children are important to a successful marriage, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

Who Flies the Flag? Not Always Who You Might Think: A Closer Look at Patriotism
27 Jun 07 For many Americans, demonstrating patriotism means showing the flag; overall, 62% say they do so. Notably, significantly more Northeasterners and Midwesterners fly the flag than do residents of the South or the West.

Being Dad May Be Tougher These Days, but Working Moms are among Their Biggest Fans
13 Jun 07 Most people agree that it is harder to be a father now than it was 20 or 30 years ago, yet the verdict is mixed on how well today's dads measure up -- about half of the public says they're doing a worse job when compared with fathers a generation ago. But, a majority (56%) of women say today's dads are handling their fatherly duties as well or better than in the past.

Four-in-Ten Americans Have Close Friends or Relatives Who are Gay: Survey finds Familiarity Is Closely Linked to Greater Tolerance
23 May 07 A new survey also finds that those with homosexual or lesbian relatives or friends are more likely to accept gay marriage and oppose the firing of gay teachers.

Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream
22 May 07 The first-ever, nationwide, random sample survey of Muslim Americans finds them to be largely assimilated, happy with their lives, and moderate with respect to many of the issues that have divided Muslims and Westerners around the world.

Motherhood Today: Tougher Challenges, Less Success: Mom's Biggest Critics are Middle-Aged Women
2 May 07 From managing busy schedules to dealing with outside influences, mothers have their hands full these days - and middle-aged women are their sharpest critics. At the same time, fully 70% of the public says it's harder to be a mother today than it was 20 or 30 years ago; somewhat fewer (60%) say the same about being a father.

Americans and Social Trust: Who, Where and Why
22 Feb 07 Just under half of Americans say most people can be trusted, while 50% say you can't be too careful, a new Pew survey finds. Whites are more trusting than blacks or Hispanics. High income folks are more trusting than those with low incomes. The married are more trusting than the unmarried. The old are more trusting than the young. And rural folks are more trusting than their city cousins.

A Barometer of Modern Morals: Sex, Drugs, and the 1040
28 Mar 06 Cheating on your taxes, cheating on your spouse and other questions of right and wrong.